After Max
by gawilliams
Summary: Seeley visits with Father Mitch on how best to deal with a distraught Bones in the aftermath of Max's death.


_I just watched the latest episode of Bones and was shocked at Max dying. I have always loved the character of Max, and have had some fun with that character in a number of my stories. I think it was very well done, and having him show just how much he loved his family was a fitting end for such a haunted character. This is my take on the aftermath that takes into account the preview for the next episode where we see Bones struggling, and Sully returning. This takes place before Sully arrives. I hope you enjoy this one. Gregg._

 _Disclaimer: I don't own, or profit from, these characters or franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

Seeley Booth was sitting quietly in a pew lost in his thoughts. He was trying to understand what had happened. He was trying to think of some way to comfort Bones, but was floundering. Christine was devastated that Max was dead, but Booth would be forever grateful to Max that the man had made damn sure that the kids were not in any way exposed to what went down at that safe house. Then Max had proven in spades that no one messed with the family of Max Keenan. But now Bones was in turmoil. She was withdrawn, unemotional, detached, and unbelievably clinical. In many ways like she was when he first met her all those years ago. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and then someone sat down next to him.

"I would have thought you'd be with your family," the voice of his old friend Father Mitch said calmly.

"I've got some things to work out," Booth replied somberly.

"You could light a candle for him," Mitch offered, knowing that Booth needed more than simply the comfort of lighting a candle on behalf of his late Father-in-Law. It would be a start, though.

Booth chuckled. "You actually want me lighting a candle in your church, Mitch?" he questioned, making a subtle reference to the torching of Mitch's church just before he got married to Bones a few years before. Mitch had teased him about burning down the church out of fear of getting married, and even though it had been a joke, Booth had gone off the deep end and had "performance" issues for a time. He could laugh about it now, but back then he'd been ready to strangle Mitch!

"I think we can risk it, especially for the soul of Max," Mitch returned, chuckling himself at the memory.

"I'm lost, Mitch," Booth sighed heavily. "I'm angry at all the horror that guy wrought on my friends and family, but I can't get the image out of my head of taking that shot all those years ago when he moved out of the line of sight at that birthday party. I keep coming back to the reality that I should have paused and waited for a better time and location. I keep wondering what would happen if Christine or Hank had seen what happened to those assassins and then Max getting shot. Then I actually feel sorry for that guy in jail. It's all so fucked up, and then I have to figure out how to reach Bones."

"What do you mean?" Mitch asked, though he was pretty sure of what was happening. He knew Temperance rather well by now.

"She's acting like she did when we first met," Booth complained. Maybe he was being unfair, but he was so damn proud of how Bones had grown over the years that it was almost physically painful to see her like she had been when he met her on that fateful day at the university when he needed her to help him with a case. No matter what Bones said about it, there was no way that it hadn't been fate. Now to see this, he was in agony. Emotional agony, that is.

"And you expected any different?" Mitch questioned.

"I don't know," Booth admitted.

"Seeley," Mitch offered. "Temperance took a risk all these years developing a new relationship with the father that abandoned her when she was a teenager. Max did that with all the best intentions, but the reality remains. She took that risk because you were right there encouraging her, and gave her a safe backstop. Now he's dead and gone way too soon, and in a violent manner. Her trust is shaken, and her reasons for taking that risk all these years is in doubt in her mind. Remember, she doesn't have faith in a loving God for comfort like you and I do, but, rather, her intellect. It's going to take time for that intellect to process all of this, and come to the realization that the risk she took was well worth it, even now."

"What if her intellect tells her the opposite?" Booth asked, though even the mere thought of it scared him to death.

"It won't," Mitch assured him.

"You can't know that," Booth said quietly. Already he was praying that Bones' razor sharp mind came to the right conclusions.

"Of course I can," Mitch chuckled. "I have faith, Seeley. I am as sure as I can be that God brought the two of you together, and he won't let a tragedy destroy something so good and positive. You know that in your soul, too, Seeley."

Something, some indefinable feeling, told Booth that Mitch was right. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do in the meantime, though, while Bones was working all this out for herself. He said as much.

"Give her time, and space," Mitch told him. "She may even want some time apart to further consider everything. Give that to her. Show her that you support her in all that she believes necessary. Be there for you children while she works this through. And most importantly, have faith."

"Time apart?" Booth blanched. The very idea was something that brought a chill down his spine. Bones was an integral part of him at this point. It killed him whenever she went away for a few days to a book signing, or speaking engagement. This sounded a lot more open ended, to him.

"Show her that reaction," Mitch suggested. "If she wants time apart, she needs to see that it is difficult for you. It will add to what she considers as she works through all the questions she has. Show her the surprise, but also show her the support. She's been there for you when you've been down, now you need to be there for her in whatever capacity."

"Can I blame you if this goes down in flames?" Booth asked, a bit seriously. He was that worried about her.

"It won't," Mitch assured him again. He had a feeling that it would be an emotionally wrenching time for both of them, and a test of their relationship, but he had confidence, and faith, that all would work out well. "If you'd like I can make some time and go talk with Temperance and see how she's doing?"

"God, NO!" Booth told him abruptly. Then he backtracked the tone. "Sorry, Mitch. I didn't mean that the way it sounded. I don't want her thinking that I sent you to her to check up on her for me. She'd turn me into a Eunuch!"

"She's my friend, too, Seeley," Mitch reminded him. It still amused him how deathly afraid Seeley was that she would get him excommunicated one of these days.

"I know, but hold off for now," Booth requested, calming down. He had this horrific fear of excommunication at the hands of Bones, and the whole Eunuch thing, too. "Just be ready to see me on a regular basis until this works itself out."

Mitch stood up and patted Seeley on the shoulder. "You're welcome anytime," he assured his friend. "Now let's go light some candles for Max. Temperance may not believe in it, but she appreciates the sentiments behind it."

Booth smiled for what was maybe the first time since Max had passed. "I can light a candle by myself, Mitch," he teased his friend.

Mitch laughed. "Yes, Seeley, but I want to have a church that isn't ashes and cinders in the morning," he joked, taking Booth's arm and leading him to the votive candles.

"I just know it was Max who torched the Church," Booth grumbled, thinking that he would never live it down that the very Church that Bones had miraculously agreed to be married in had been burnt to a crisp the evening before the Big Day.

 _A/N: Short, I know, but I wanted a nice little piece to give a somber look at what Booth may have dealt with in the aftermath of Max's death, but before the next episode where Bones wants time and then Sully shows up. I hope you enjoyed this one. Gregg._


End file.
